Job Description
Young People in Recovery -
Community Education Specialist
Denver Metropolitan Area (Hybrid)
Organization Overview:
YPR is a national, peer-led organization that serves youth and young adults in recovery from substance use disorder. YPR aims to improve access to resources such as housing, education and employment that sustain long-term recovery.
Vision: Young People in Recovery envisions a world where all young people have the resources they need to thrive in recovery from addiction to drugs and alcohol.
Mission:
YPR's mission is to provide the life skills and peer support to help people recover from substance use disorder and reach their full potential.
Community Education Specialist Overview:
The Community Education Specialist develops and delivers educational programming for YPR's regional overdose prevention initiative. The Specialist leads community and healthcare provider training, develops family education curricula and bilingual prevention resources, and directs content development for a regional counterfeit pill awareness campaign.
The initiative primarily serves adolescents and young adults ages 14-26 and their families. The Specialist equips community members and professionals with practical knowledge to recognize and respond to overdose, administer opioid overdose reversal medications, understand counterfeit pill risks, and connect people to treatment and recovery resources.
Essential Responsibilities
Note: This position is a Full-Time position at 40 hours per week.
General Responsibilities
- Respond to work-related communications from YPR employees within a reasonable timeframe during scheduled working hours, generally within one (1) business day, unless alternative arrangements have been approved in advance by the supervisor
(Communications may include email, phone, internal messaging platforms, or similar tools.)
- Celebrate both large and small victories while identifying and addressing bottlenecks or barriers the team may be experiencing
- Comply with all YPR reporting procedures, including ADP time tracking, Concur expense reporting, Salesforce/Community updates, and census reports
- Obtain and maintain all required training and certifications as directed by the organization or supervisor, including but not limited to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) and Mental Health First Aid (MHFA), Sexual Abuse, and Cyber Security
- Represent the organization professionally in all interactions
- Handle sensitive and confidential matters with professionalism and discretion
- Supports special projects and organizational initiatives
Community Education Activities
- Develop standardized curricula and educational toolkits. Use SAMHSA's Overdose Prevention and Response Toolkit to create consistent, evidence-informed materials adapted for schools, healthcare providers, faith communities, and community organizations.
- Deliver community overdose prevention education. Teach overdose recognition, response, and administration of opioid overdose reversal medications through community events, partner organizations, and the regional Collaborative.
- Lead healthcare provider training. Develop and deliver training for physicians, nurses, pharmacists, behavioral health clinicians, school nurses, and emergency department staff. Cover opioid and controlled substance overprescribing risks, overdose response, counterfeit pill identification, and referrals to treatment and recovery services.
- Implement Training-of-Trainers activities. Prepare staff within healthcare partner organizations to deliver prevention education and sustain training capacity beyond the grant period.
- Develop youth and family education. Create age-appropriate prevention curricula and counterfeit pill awareness resources that engage young people, parents, and families.
- Develop bilingual prevention resources. Coordinate English- and Spanish-language materials and training delivery with bilingual staff and community partners.
- Lead campaign content development. Work with the Youth Advisory Council and digital team to develop youth- and family-focused messaging for the regional counterfeit pill awareness campaign across social media, digital advertising, radio, and community outreach.
- Collaborate with regional partners. Coordinate training opportunities with the Community Outreach & Partnerships Manager and incorporate Collaborative and Youth Advisory Council feedback into educational programming.
- Support evaluation and improvement. Work with the Program Coordinator/Data Lead to document training activities, participant reach, and campaign performance, and use findings to improve educational delivery.
- Team Collaboration. Work closely with the Community Outreach & Partnerships Manager, Program Implementers, Program Coordinator/Data Lead, Project Director, Youth Advisory Council, and digital team to deliver coordinated, accessible, community-informed prevention education.
Key Education Goals
Lead educational programming that supports these shared project targets:
- Train at least 1,500 community members annually in overdose recognition, response, and overdose reversal medication administration.
- Train at least 500 healthcare professionals annually.
- Launch a bilingual regional counterfeit pill awareness campaign by the end of Year 1, reaching at least 10,000 community members annually.
- Sustain education and campaign activities throughout the three-year project while building partners' capacity to continue training.
Organizational Commitments
- Collaborate to support and implement YPR's strategic plan while promoting and encouraging the many pathways of recovery
- Actively champion diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) initiatives
- Continuously strive to improve personal performance and contribute to organizational excellence
- Use data to inform decision-making, enhance outcomes, and guide organizational development
- Perform other related duties and marginal functions as assigned
Location: Denver Metro Area (Hybrid)
Job Type: Full-Time (40 hours/week)
Schedule: M-F exempt, salary position
Compensation: $57,500 annual salary
PERKS AND MORE
Benefits eligibility varies by employment classification and plan documents. Some benefits listed apply only to full-time roles.
Workplace & Culture
- Mission-driven work with meaningful community impact
- Collaborative, supportive team environment
- Values-aligned leadership with transparent communication
- Inclusive, people-first organizational culture
Flexibility & Work-Life Balance
- Flexible work schedules where operationally feasible
- Hybrid or remote work options (role-dependent)
- Emphasis on sustainable workloads and boundaries
Growth & Development
- Opportunities for professional development and training
- Exposure to cross-functional projects and leadership
- Clear role expectations with room for growth
- Support for certifications, conferences, or continuing education (when available)
Role-Specific Advantages
- High level of autonomy and ownership over responsibilities
- Opportunity to influence systems, processes, or strategy
- Direct impact on organizational efficiency and success
Benefits & Wellbeing (if applicable)
- Competitive compensation aligned with nonprofit/industry standards
- Health, dental, and vision insurance options
- Life insurance and disability insurance options
- Generous paid time off and paid holidays
- 48-hours of paid sick leave annually
- Retirement plan options with employer match
- Wellness resources and employee assistance programs
- Annual wellness reimbursement
Connection & Purpose
- Opportunity to work alongside passionate, purpose-driven professionals
- Meaningful relationships with stakeholders and community partners
- Pride in contributing to an organization making real change
YPR CORE VALUES
Community:
YPR values the community by creating welcoming spaces for people in or seeking recovery and their allies.
Caring:
YPR values caring by meeting all people where they are in their recovery journeys, and by supporting all pathways of recovery.
Respect:
YPR values respect by listening to others to understand and by operating with a spirit of intellectual curiosity.
Inclusion:
YPR values inclusion by building diverse teams of employees and by leveraging data to better support underserved populations.
Commitment:
YPR values commitment by showing up every day and holding ourselves accountable to our processes for each other, our clients, our stakeholders, and our communities.
EXPERIENCE AND BACKGROUND
Experience and Required Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in education, public health, or health sciences
- At least three years of experience in community health education or training delivery
- Bilingual proficiency in English and Spanish preferred
- Understanding of substance use prevention and recovery
- Positive and supportive attitude toward all pathways of recovery
- Sensitivity and awareness of the unique needs and stigmas associated with underserved populations
- Technology/computer/virtual meeting experience required
- Excellent organizational, communication, and leadership skills
Preferred qualifications:
- Personal experience in recovery
- Experience working successfully with diverse communities
- Previous training and certification in trauma-informed response, cultural competency, and peer education
- Bilingual (Spanish/English)
- Google Suite experience preferred
Physical demands and work environment:
- Occasionally required to stand
- Occasionally required to walk
- Frequently required to sit
- Frequently required to utilize hand and finger dexterity
- Continually required to talk or hear
- The employee must occasionally lift and /or move more than 10 pounds
Background Check Statement: Young People in Recovery is dedicated to ensuring a safe and secure environment for our clients, employees, volunteers, and members. To assist in achieving that goal, we conduct background investigations. If your position requires additional pre-employment criteria, such as a driver's examination, a background investigation, and/ or a pre-employment drug test, and if you have been offered employment before any such investigation or test is completed, your employment is contingent upon a satisfactory result on all required tests. Pre-employment background investigations: Shall be required for all staff, interns, and volunteers who have direct contact with individuals receiving services. YPR considers criminal history information on an individualized basis, considering the nature of the offense, time elapsed, and relevance to the position. Criminal history does not automatically disqualify an applicant. Any background information will be evaluated in accordance with applicable law and based on job-relatedness and business necessity.
ADA Statement: Young People in Recovery will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities throughout the employment application process. To request an accommodation pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, please contact Human Resources at hr@youngpeopleinrecovery.org.
YPR is an equal-opportunity employer. We will not discriminate, and we will take affirmative action
to ensure against discrimination in employment, recruitment, and advertisements for
employment, compensation, termination, upgrading, promotions, and other conditions of
employment against any employee or job applicant based on race, color, gender, nation or
origin, age, religion, creed, disability, recovery status, veteran's status, sexual orientation,
gender identity or gender expression.
YPR is deeply committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion and embeds those principles into the practices of its work and organizational culture. YPR is committed to being an employer of choice and believes that the best organizational performance will result from a safe, diverse, and inclusive work environment. People of color, people with disabilities, women, and LGBTQ+ candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
People in recovery, YPR chapter members/leaders, and those with lived experience of the criminal justice system are encouraged to apply.
Learn more about YPR: YPR website | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn
Job Tags
Full time, Second job, Remote work, Flexible hours